


A Beast in the Dark

by mncrft1030



Series: Chimera Rising [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pokemon Fusion, Gen, Other, Pokemon - Freeform, Universe Alteration - Canon Divergence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-14
Updated: 2017-01-14
Packaged: 2018-09-17 03:16:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9301622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mncrft1030/pseuds/mncrft1030
Summary: "In this alternate world of the popular Pokémon world, Samuel and his partner Pokémon, Eevee, travel with their friends, Nick and Daniel. At first, it seems like a normal adventure, but soon they find Pokémon that shouldn’t exist and unnatural happenings start to occur. No matter where they look everything seems to point towards this new group of people calling themselves Team Chimera."





	1. Where It All Begins

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Pokémon fanfic and my first fanfic in general. My thanks go out to my friends Nick, Raleigh, and Cameron for proofreading and helping me write this. I couldn't have done this without their help.

I was packing the last of my things into my backpack when I heard footsteps on the stairs behind me. "Ready to go?"

I turned around to see Mark, Thomas' father, standing at the top of the stairs and leaning on the banister. Thomas was a classmate of mine at the Pokémon Trainer's School in Pallet Town. When my house had burned down a few months back and my parents presumed dead, his family was kind enough to let me stay with them. At least until I started my Pokémon journey months later.

"Just about," I told him. "Just packing the last of my things." Which wasn't much, a couple bottles of water, some snacks, a change of clothes, and my Pokédex that I had kept to remind me of home. The Pokédex was a little shorter than the whiteboards we used at the Trainer's School, was the standard Cheri red color, and had a screen that covered most of the front. There was also a lens on the back for taking pictures.

As I was about to put the Pokédex in my bag, I hesitated.  _How long has it been since I was there? Since I was home?_  I asked myself.

I heard a voice in my head speak, catching me off guard,  _Hard to say. Years, right?_

I looked over at the Pokémon I had chosen to be my partner, an Eevee. Shortly after I had started at the Trainer's School, I had grown attached to him. And eventually, we had sparked a bond that still startles me from time to time.

_Well, I had just turned 6 when we left the Alola region._

_And you're 10 now, right?_

_Right, so..._  I trailed off as the realization settled in.  _Four years..._  I sighed as the weight of the world seemed to drop on my shoulders.

"Samuel?" I snapped out of my reverie and turned around. "Daydreaming again?"

"Yeah, sorry." I put the Pokédex in my bag and threw the strap over my shoulder, the body of the bag hitting my hip as it fell off the bed.

I followed Mark down the stairs with Eevee close behind. Thomas was sitting at the dining room table, getting ready for another day at the Trainer's School. His mother, Maria, was in the living room watching the newest showcase performance being broadcasted from the Kalos region.

Mark sat down at the dining room table, Eevee sitting down at his feet. As I stepped off the last step I saw the announcer for the showcase, Monsieur Pierre and his Pokémon, Klefki, a Pokémon that looked like a keychain, was just announcing the winner.

I ran over to the couch, leaning on the back behind Maria. "What'd I miss?!"

Maria turned toward me, her knitting resting on her knees, "The next Kalos Queen was just announced. It's Aria!"

I pumped my arms in the air. "Yes!"

Ever since the day that I had started living with Thomas and his family, his mother had tried to get me into watching this contest performance in the Kalos region where girls perform with their Pokémon for the title of Kalos Queen, which is similar to a Champion in a Pokémon League in that there can only be one at a time. Eventually, my will was broken and I sat down and watched one of the performances with her. And ended up watching every one since, which was quite a few performances over the course of a few months.

"Well, I should be heading out."

We all turned toward the kitchen, Thomas was making his way toward the door. "Today, we get to pick which Pokémon we get to train with. I'm super excited!" He picked up his bag from the chair beside him, barely able to walk a few feet without trying to jump out of his shoes. He stopped, his hand resting on the doorknob, and turned toward me, asking, "Hey, Sam, how... how did you pick Eevee? How did you know that he was the one for you?"

I tilted my head slightly. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you and Eevee were a rocky pair when you two first met. But, eventually, it was as if someone had flipped a switch. All you had to do was say one word and it translated into three. How did you do it?"

I looked at Eevee, and he looked back at me.  _That's a good question,_  I thought. "I guess, I don't know. I just knew he was the one for me."

I looked back at Thomas, confusion was written on his face. "Tell you what, when you go to pick your Pokémon, don't pick right away. Look each one over and when you feel a tug in your heart, you'll know that it's the one."

It was as if he got more confused than before if that was possible. "A tug?"

I walked over and put a hand on his shoulder, "You'll know what I'm talking about when you get there."

He sighed, probably because he didn't get the answer he was hoping for. "Okay... Bye mom, bye dad."

"Have fun!" Maria called. She got up and came over to the door and kissed Thomas on the head. "Good luck," she whispered.

"I should be heading out, too," I said, heading out the door as well.

"That's right, today's the day," Mark stated. "The beginning of your journey."

"Yeah," I stammered. I swung my arm in the air in front of me and said, sarcastically, "Yippee."

As Thomas and I were leaving, we turned around to see both Mark and Maria waving goodbye, the television showing another Pokémon Showcase, this one from the Hoenn region, something I never got into.

As we were making our way toward the School, I heard the door creaking shut. And just before it shut, I heard Maria murmur, "Your parents would be so proud of you."

"Do you mind walking me to the School?" Thomas requested, bringing me back to the present.

"Not at all," I said as I put my hand on his head and ruffle his hair a little. He swatted my hand away and then attempted to fix his hair. "Besides, I'm interested to see what Pokémon they have lined up for this year's students."

The way the Trainer's School worked is when its students are at the age of 9, or are turning 9 during that year of attendance, then those students are allowed to pick a Pokémon to train with. And, if they wish, that student is allowed to keep that Pokémon when they go off on their journey the following year. Or, student's can bring their own Pokémon from home to train with, assuming they're of age of course.

After some time passed, I asked him, "So, do you know what kind of Pokémon you'll pick?"

There was a pause from the boy beside me. "Well, I don't know. They always have the same typing, right?"

"Right. They always have three Pokémon, one for each type similar to the starters you can pick from before your journey. So, a Fire-type, a Water-type, and a Grass-type."

"What about the others?"

I shrugged. "Those Pokémon are never the same two years in a row. I was attending that school for four years, and I never saw any duplicates."

"So, I won't really know until I get there."

"Guess not." We rounded a corner of the street, the School coming into view. "Think you can make it the rest of the way by yourself?"

"Leaving already? You can't stay a little longer?"

"No, I should be getting started on my journey."

I could see the disappointment on Thomas' face.  _Come on, Sam._  I looked down at Eevee, who was standing on the other side of me from Thomas.  _What can a few minutes hurt?_

_A lot of things,_  I stated. I sighed, then added,  _But this isn't one of those._  "Fine, I suppose I could stay until you pick your partner for class."

His face brightened up. "Really? Yes!" The rest of the way to the School, there was a skip in Thomas' step.

 

Thomas was lined up with six other kids outside the School. They were out back by the School's battlefield and were getting ready to pick their partner Pokémon for class. This year's "starter Pokémon" were a Vulpix, an Oddish, and a Poliwag. The other Pokémon were a Geodude, a Machop, a Misdreavus, and a Larvitar.

The kids were lined up in front of the Pokémon, about four paces apart. Thomas was looking around nervously. Well, they all were. But, Thomas was looking at the Pokémon nervously, probably wondering which Pokémon to pick. I was standing along the wall of the School with the other kids' parents and spectating what was going on.

Eventually, the teacher announced that it was time for the students to pick their partners. All of the kids stepped forward, some walking right up to a Pokémon, which led to the Pokémon retreating backward or reaching out and biting the kid, but not hard enough to draw blood. Thomas, however, walked slowly up to the Oddish, stopped about two arm lengths away and reach out his hand, standing low to the ground. The Oddish looked at him curiously, then it walked up to him just as slowly and nuzzled its head in his hand.

_That's what I'm talking about, Thomas._  As if he could hear me, he turned around with the biggest grin on his face.

Pretty soon, every Pokémon was claimed. Two girls, who I assumed were twin sisters, picked the Misdreavus and the Larvitar. One of whom ended up unscathed, the other having few scratches and a bite mark on her arm. Another girl had picked the Machop while a boy chose the Geodude. Everyone, except for Thomas and the one twin, had scrapes and bruises somewhere on them, but they seemed too happy to notice.

I turned around and looked at the clock up on the wall.  _It's almost 9:30. Wanna stay longer?_

_We should get going,_  I heard Eevee say.

I looked back at Thomas. He waved at me, knowing what time it was. I waved back and I left, knowing that he would be fine with Oddish beside him.

 

_Where are we going again?_  Eevee asked.

"You know very well where we're going," I said aloud, my face getting red as I realized I had done so out loud. I glanced around, several people passing by were looking in my direction.  _We're going to Professor Oak's lab,_  I told him in my head.

_Why are we going there?_  Eevee inquired, cocking his head to one side as he walked.

_We're meeting some people there. You know who they are._

_Oh, yeah. Them._

Up ahead, standing at the gate that led to Professor Oak's lab, stood two individuals. One of them stood with his back to me, a Pokémon floating around his shoulders. The other was leaning up against the wall, looking bored. A Pokémon was sitting at his feet, looking just as jaded as its Trainer.

The first boy's name was Daniel. He joined the Trainer's School last year, the same year that I chose Eevee to be my partner in class. He was definitely the quietest out of the three of us, the only time he ever talked was when he was spoken to directly or if you really got on his nerves. And, if you could do something to make someone as quiet as him yell at you, then you know you messed up. His partner Pokémon was a Beldum, a Steel and Psychic-type he called Atlas.

The other boy sitting on the ground, his name was Nick. He also joined the Trainer's School last year. He's the most outgoing out of us. His partner Pokémon was an Aron, a Steel and Rock-type he called Gasari.

I waved as we approached. "Hey! It's been awhile!"

Nick stood up and turned toward me, muttering, "You're late."

"No, I'm not," I countered. "You guys are just early. Did we set a time to meet?"

He looked taken aback. "Well, no."

"Then, we're on time. Besides, I was walking my brother to School."

"Since when do you have a brother?"

I hesitated before answering. "Since... he asked me to call him that? In any case, it's good to see you guys again."

"Likewise," Daniel replied.

I walked over and joined them at the entrance, looking up at the Lab through the open gateway. The walls on either side were about six or seven feet tall, built out of bricks and covered in vines. The gate was just as tall as the walls that stood on either side. It was a wrought iron gate that was sitting open, both arms of the gate resting as far open as they'd go. A placard that read "Oak Pokémon Research Lab" was on one of the walls that bordered the gate.

"So...," I started, "you guys ready to do this?"

"Of course, I'm ready. I was just waiting for you guys," Nick replied.

"You could have done so inside," shot Daniel flatly.

"Ouch," Nick glanced at Daniel. A hand on his chest, acting like he was hurt.

"Sorry, but yes. I'm- we're ready."

I stifled a laugh.  _We can be cruel to each other, but if we can make each other laugh afterward, it's all in good spirits,_  I thought. I looked down at Eevee.  _Ready?_

_Of course!_  Eevee ran ahead and started up the steps to the building above us.  _Let's go!_

 

As we walked inside, the first thing we noticed was the vast amount of books that were in the main room. On the wall behind us, large two-story windows displayed the bay that entered Pallet Town. The walls on either side were covered floor to ceiling with bookshelves, the only break allowing for doorways to open into the room. On the shelves were many books with titles I didn't recognize, but some had authors that sounded familiar. A rolling ladder was set here and there along the walls.

I walked up to one of the many bookshelves, rolling a ladder out of the way, and picked up a book seemingly at random. This one was a simple notebook written in a penmanship that must have taken years to master.

"'Regional Variants'," I read aloud.

"That's an... interesting title," commented Nick. "Who's it written by?"

"Samson Oak," I replied. Then I turned back to the others. "The professor?"

"Can't be, his name is Samuel Oak, isn't it?"

Not that professor, but whatever. I shrugged and returned the book to its spot on the shelf, picking up another. This time, it was a traditional, leather-bound volume. "'Pokémon and Mega Evolutions'."

Nick and Daniel both looked at me. "Who's the author this time?" asked Daniel.

I glanced at the cover, there was a round jewel with what looked like a DNA spiral inside. Then I flipped it over and looked at the spine. "Professor Sycamore," I stated. I turned it over to the back and continued, "Says he's from Kalos and that this is one of his more famous subjects."

"As a matter of fact, that is his primary field of research."

We all looked in the direction the voice had come from. At the far end of the room, at the bottom of the staircase, stood Professor Oak in his traditional lab coat and graying hair. "To answer your earlier question, Samson is my cousin. He lives in the Alola region where multiple Pokémon are known to have different forms than would be known elsewhere."

"The Alola region?" I asked, more mumbling to myself than asking an outward question. That's why the name sounded familiar. I glanced down at my bag and set my hand on the front. Eevee walked over and laid down next to me, resting his head on my foot. I'm fine, I told him.

"That's right." He started walking over to me. "On another note, I sense you are interested in Pokémon," Oak inquired as he stopped next to where I was standing by the bookshelf.

"'Pokémon' is such a wide topic," I told him matter-of-factly, looking down at Eevee. "I'm more interested in a Pokémon's evolution and how they evolve."

"Well, if you'd like, you can keep that book for your own research."

"Really? Thanks!" I opened my bag and put the book next to my Pokédex, doing my best to keep it hidden.

"Of course. I can always get another from Sycamore. In addition, maybe... this would be of assistance to you." The Professor reached out and grabbed a third book off the shelf, this one of similar style to the second.

"This is a study written by the Professor in the Sinnoh region, Professor Rowan. He specializes his research on just that, Pokémon evolution." He held out the book toward me and continued, "As for the topic of the regional variants, it's an ongoing project that's still being worked on.

"However, on a more serious note," he looked around at the three of us and our Pokémon, "it has come to my attention that you are here for your starter Pokémon. Am I correct?"

"Yes, sir," Daniel stated, glancing at Atlas. "I-I'm not, but I believe they are."

"I see. Well, in that case, follow me."

 

The Professor led us down a hallway with the occasional door breaking the monotony of the walls. What was beyond them, I knew not. I wanted to ask, but before I could I heard Nick ask from behind me.

"Smaller labs, training rooms, special environments for Pokémon," Oak replied, somewhat distracted. Probably by the path he was taking us in.

"Ah, here we are," Oak announced, stopping in front of what seemed to be a random door among many.

I heard Nick whisper, "About time." Probably to Daniel.

Oak opened the door revealing a vast, open room. A large computer sat along one wall and a lone table rested in the middle of the room. Standing by the table was what looked to be an assistant of Oak's, judging by the lab coat he was wearing, and a boy of what looked to be about 10 or 11. He had jet black hair and when he looked at us, I noticed he had blue eyes almost the color of ice, and just as cold.

The boy looked down at the Poké Ball he had just picked up. His gaze spoke of neither disappointment nor disgust, but one that spoke of planning for something, like he wasn't looking at what was right in front of him.

"I see we have another new Trainer among us," commented Oak.

The boy merely sighed and moved toward the door. Nick and Daniel moved to one side as Oak started to move toward the table. I stayed where I was.

"Move," the boy commanded as he looked up at me.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Sam." I held my hand out, intending to shake his.

"I don't care." He looked around at us, probably just noticing us for the first time. He glanced at Nick, then at his Aron. Then he moved his sights over to Daniel and his Beldum. Finally, he rested his eyes on Eevee sitting next to me. "If you're here for starters, why do you already have Pokémon?"

"We could ask you the same thing," I replied, hinting at the Poké Ball on his belt.

"Whatever." He walked around me and opened the door. "Next time, don't get in my way. I won't be as patient on our next encounter." And with that, he left the room.

Before the door closed behind him, I shouted sarcastically, "Nice meeting you, too!"

Oak cleared his throat, trying to get our attention. He motioned for us to move toward the table. We moved closer, Nick stood on my right while his Aron sat next to him. I stood with Eevee in my arms, his head resting on his front paws and his tail swinging excitedly below him. Daniel stayed where he was, glaring at the door that the boy had left out of while Atlas floated next to him, its one eye narrowed.

"Would you like to join us, young man?" inquired Oak, looking at Daniel.

Daniel glanced back. "No, I'll be waiting outside." His tone seemed to add, "To make sure he doesn't come back." He then walked over to the door and opened it, allowing for Atlas to go through before he followed.

_What's up with him?_  Eevee asked.

_I don't know._  I glanced back at the Professor. "Anyway..."

"Right," Oak said with a concerned look at the door.

He walked around the table and I noticed three Poké Balls resting on its surface, each with a different symbol in the center of the Ball just above the button. One of them had a fireball, another had a water droplet, and the last had a leaf.

"So, here before you are three Pokémon: the Fire-type, Charmander; the Water-type, Squirtle; and the Grass-type, Bulbasaur," Oak stated, gesturing to each Poké Ball in turn.

Nick and I stepped closer to the table. I started to reach for one of the Poké Balls but hesitated. Nick, however, reached over and grabbed the Poké Ball with Charmander inside. After confirming his decision, he glanced over at me.

"Are you not going to take a starter?" Oak asked me.

I hesitated to answer. I looked down at Eevee, and him back up at me.  _What is it? Why aren't you taking one?_  I heard him ask.

"No. I'm not taking one," I replied at last.

"Not taking one?" Oak inquired, almost sounding concerned. "Why not?"

"Because I already have one," I glanced down at Eevee to see a puzzled look on his face.

"You know, Eevee doesn't count as a traditional starter, right?" Nick commented.

"Neither does Aron," I shot back.

"That's why I chose Charmander!" Nick waved to Poké Ball he had chosen in the air between us.

"Boys!" Oak interrupted. We both looked back at him. "It's not that much of an issue if you don't want a starter, Samuel."

"See!" I looked back at Nick.

"However, I would still like you both to be prepared for anything, whether you have a starter or not."

We both sighed in defeat. "Yes, sir."

"Whether you're taking a starter or not, you both have Pokémon with you, and that's all that matters for any journey."

His assistant approached and held out a tray that had three devices on it. They were small red squares, almost like a book. "These are Pokédexes," Oak said. "They record any and all information on the Pokémon you encounter."

A little small, don't you think? I thought to myself.

The Professor handed us each a Pokédex. But, he handed me the third one. "Why are you giving the last one to me?"

"I didn't think your friend had one and he left before I could give him one."

"Oh, okay. I'll give it to him on our way out."

"That would be much appreciated."

We turned to leave, but before we left the room Oak added, "Good luck on your journey you two, you'll need it for what's ahead."

I stopped in the doorway, drawing a curious look from Nick. "You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, just fine," I told him. I handed him Daniel's Pokédex and said, "Go on ahead, I'll be there in a sec."

Nick looked even more curious than before, then a different look replaced it. He said, "Oh, I got you," and walked away.

Once he was out of earshot, I whispered, "No, I don't think you do." I turned back into the room and shut the door behind me.

"Something wrong, Samuel?"

I noticed some hesitation when he said my name, most likely because he had the same name I did and wasn't quite used to saying his own name aloud.

"No, no problem." I walked over to him at the table and handed him the Pokédex he had just given me.

"Do you not want it?"

I shook my head. "No, I don't need it." I reached into my bag, moved the two books from earlier out of the way, and took out my own Pokédex.

"Where did you get that?" Oak asked, almost shocked.

I paused before answering, remembering my life back in Alola. "I was one of the assistants to the Professor in the Alola region, Professor Kukui. He gave this to me so that I could help with his research on Pokémon and their moves, but something happened and my family moved before I had the chance to give it back to him."

Oak seemed to study the situation and said, "I see. Well, alright. I'll tell you what, hand me the Pokédex and I'll add the Kanto Dex to its database. That way, you won't have to carry around two different Pokédexes."

"Really?"

"It'd be my pleasure."

I handed him my Pokédex. He then walked over to the computer, opened one of the drawers and grabbed a cord out of it. He plugged one end into the Pokédex and the other end into the computer. I noticed a loading circle pop up onto the screen of my Pokédex as the Kanto Dex was being loaded onto it. Then a green check mark replaced the loading circle and the Professor unplugged my Pokédex.

"Looks like we're done."

He then handed me back my Pokédex and wished me luck on my journey.

"Oh, and Samuel?"

I turned around to look back at him.

He stepped closer and handed me a Poké Ball. "I know your plan wasn't to receive one today, but it would put my mind at ease knowing that at least two of you received starter Pokémon."

I nodded, putting the Poké Ball in my bag with Eevee's and made my way out the door, stopping on the threshold. "Um, Professor? What did you mean when you said that we'd need luck on our journey?"

He merely shrugged and said, "Sometimes, things aren't always what we plan them to be."

As I was leaving through the gate of the Research Lab, I caught sight of Nick and Daniel along the wall a ways down the road.

"So!" Nick yelled as I approached, Eevee walking beside me. "What took you so long?!"

"Nothing that concerns your well-being," I countered, almost as loud. I looked at Daniel, my voice returning to normal. "Did Nick give you your Pokédex?"

He nodded. "Yes, and he also gave a very poor impression of the Professor."

Nick seemed a little disappointed. "It wasn't supposed to be realistic." He turned away and crossed his arms, pouting.

Daniel decided not to acknowledge this and changed the subject, "What starters did you guys pick?"

"Nick chose Charmander," I stated.

Daniel's gaze remained fixed on me, "And you?"

"I-"

"He didn't pick one," Nick interrupted.

"Um, excuse me. He didn't ask you!" I shot venomously.

"Well, you didn't! Or did you? When you went back."

Daniel looked intrigued. "You went back?"

An explosion sounded, saving me from having to answer. We all covered our ears, Trainers and Pokémon alike. We all turned in the direction the sound came from, ahead of us was a tree line and the source of whatever caused the explosion was inside the trees.

"So...," I started.

"So... what?" Nick asked.

"Are we going to check it out?"

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but... see ya!" Nick took off running, his Aron hot on his heels.

I turned to look at Daniel, and he at me. And we both looked back at Nick, already halfway to the forest. I took a casual glance at Eevee out of the corner of my eye.  _Are you ready to run?_  I told him of what I had in mind.

_Always._

I glanced over at Daniel, my eyes still focused on the forest. "So, Dan."

He hesitated at my abbreviation of his name and sighed. "Yes?" he replied, annoyed.

"How fast can you run?" I locked eyes with him.

Daniel looked at me with confusion written clearly on his face. "What, why?"

I shook my head. "No reason."  _Now!_  I told Eevee, and the two of us took off running as fast as we could. Trying to outpace Daniel and Atlas, as well as trying to catch up with Nick.

As we neared the woods, I started to slow my pace, allowing for Daniel to catch up. Running that far with a bag slamming against your hip can get very awkward. Up ahead, I saw Nick waiting at the edge of the forest, studying it, his hands resting behind his head. As if he could figure out what happened just minutes before by staring at the trees.

"About time you guys get here," Nick commented as we drew near.

"Says the guy too impatient to wait for everyone else," I replied, winded. I cleared my throat, trying to catch my breath. "Anyway, shall we head in? Together this time."

"Let's," Daniel commented. "We-  _I'm_  curious to find out what caused that explosion."

_Is it just me or was he going to say something else?_  Eevee asked.

_You probably misheard him._

 

As we made our way through the forest, we started to notice the Pokémon that lived there. Rattata were running from bush to bush, the occasional Metapod or Kakuna hanging in the trees, Pidgey flying overhead. The next Pokémon to catch my eye made me stop in my tracks. Lowering myself to the ground, I pointed it out for Eevee to see. Daniel and Nick still walking on ahead.

_Do you see what I'm seeing?_

_Eevee looked in the direction I was pointing. A Pikachu and some Pichu, so what?_

_They aren't usually from around here. They're very rare in this part of Kanto._

_Oh! Really?_

"Hey, Sam!" I turned to look and saw Nick and Daniel waiting for me, "What's up?"

Instead of answering, I took my Pokédex out of my bag and aimed it toward the Pichu. A loading circle came up on the screen and the Pokédex spoke as the others approached, announcing its newest entry to the Kanto Dex, "Pichu, the Tiny Mouse Pokémon. An Electric-type. When Pichu plays with others, it may short out electricity with another Pichu, creating a shower of sparks. In that event, this Pokémon will begin crying, startled by the flash of sparks."

I then aimed my Pokédex at the Pikachu, "Pikachu, the Mouse Pokémon, and the evolved form of Pichu. An Electric-type. This Pokémon has electricity-storing pouches on its cheeks. These appear to become electrically charged during the night while Pikachu sleeps. It occasionally discharges electricity when it is dozy after waking up."

"That's interesting," Nick said while looking around obviously uninterested.

Daniel looked at us, annoyed. "Yeah, interesting. Almost as interesting as that explosion?!" With that, he took off running. Atlas close by, Nick following soon after.

"Oh, very you guys!" I yelled as I put my Pokédex in my bag.  _Neither of them noticed my Pokédex,_  I told Eevee.

_I think it'd be best if you didn't bring it up unless they say something._

I nodded and took off after the two of them before I got too far behind, almost running into Daniel. Nick stopped me just in time.

"What's wro-" I cut myself off as I noticed the events in the clearing in front of us. Ahead of us were two Trainers. One of them had snow white hair, a worn white jacket over a black shirt and blue jeans. His eyes burning red like an inferno. His Pokémon was an Umbreon, but unlike a normal Umbreon, this one had blue rings on its fur rather than yellow ones.

The other Trainer had a blue hooded jacket over a black shirt and jeans. His jet black hair was hidden under his hood while his eyes were as bright as beacons, shining their cold blue. His Pokémon was a Glaceon, with brighter fur than a normal Glaceon.

_Both Pokémon are shinies!_  I thought. I turned to Nick and Daniel. "That's the kid who was getting a starter before us," I whispered, pointing to the boy in the hoodie.

"Shadow Breaker!"

"Blizzard Rush!"

The two Trainers shouted commands at their Pokémon, ones I wasn't familiar with. But, regardless, their Pokémon seemed to understand.

With the command, "Shadow Breaker," the Umbreon summoned the move, Dark Pulse. But, instead of firing it forward, the Umbreon enveloped itself with it and charged toward the Glaceon. Likewise, with the command, "Blizzard Rush," the Glaceon covered itself in the move, Blizzard, and charged the Umbreon. The two attacks merely glanced off each other, but the two Pokémon made quick U-turns and ran back at the other again. This time, causing the two attacks to explode into smoke and mist.

"So, I hear you got a starter," the white-haired Trainer said, probably talking to the other Trainer.

"Yeah. What's it to you?" the black-haired Trainer shot back, sounding annoyed with the white-haired Trainer.

The white-haired Trainer scoffed. "Why'd you even bother getting a starter?"

This must have irked the black-haired Trainer because he shouted back, "So I can beat your sorry ass!" Then, he threw out another Pokémon, the Charmander he had received back at Professor Oak's Lab.

Reacting to the new Pokémon, the white-haired Trainer threw out another of his own Pokémon, a Squirtle.

Looking at the two teams, it looked fairly even. Then I looked at the Trainers themselves. The black-haired Trainer had just two Poké Balls, equal to the two Pokémon he had out. The white-haired Trainer, however, had two Poké Balls for the two Pokémon he had out, as well as another Poké Ball and an Ultra Ball.

_I wonder what's in the other Poké Ball and that Ultra Ball,_  I thought to myself.

_What do you mean? There's probably nothing in either one,_  Eevee said.

_If there was nothing in them, there would be no reason for him to have either on his belt with the rest of his team, would there? Unless..._

_Unless?_

"Galentai, why are you even here?" the black-haired Trainer asked, starting to sound bored.

"Because, Ethius," the white-haired Trainer, Galentai, spat, "I'm here to follow through with my goal."

"Just leave it alone. I didn't-"

"That's right! Your sorry ass did it! And I'm gonna fix it!" Galentai was screaming at Ethius, for reasons we didn't know. "Azora, Squirtle, Rapid Tail!" The Umbreon, which I assumed to be Azora, jumped onto the Squirtle's back and both of them began spinning at a high speed. Meanwhile, Azora's tail began to take on a metallic look, which signified the use of the move Iron Tail, and both of them charged toward Ethius' Glaceon and Charmander.

"Zeta, Charmander, dodge. Then counter with Hell Freeze." After Ethius' Glaceon and Charmander evaded the attack and a bit of confusion from his Charmander, his Pokémon launched a joined attack. This attack contained Ice Beam and Ember, but from the sheer cold from the attack, it felt like there was something else to it.

"Dodge it!" Galentai called. Azora jumped off of Squirtle's back, clearing the attack, and Squirtle spun out of the way. The attack struck the ground and exploded into a cloud of frost and smoke several feet from Squirtle.

"You'll never beat me, Galentai. You never could," Ethius stated and started to walk away.

"We'll see about that. Azora!" As if reading Galentai's mind, Azora fired a Dark Pulse that landed in front of Ethius, stopping his progress. "You're not going anywhere."

"I'm done here. Besides," Ethius stopped and turned around, looking right at me, "we have an audience." After saying his piece, Ethius returned his Charmander to its Poké Ball and walked off with Zeta right next to him.

I looked over at Galentai while Nick and Daniel watched Ethius walk off. Galentai and I were staring at each other like we were trying to burn holes in the other. We only stopped staring when Nick broke the silence.

"So, what was that about?"

Galentai looked away and returned Squirtle to its Poké Ball. He then started walking off in the opposite direction of Ethius, with Azora close by.

_Stop him!_  Eevee shouted in my head.

"What? Why?" I asked, unaware that I had replied aloud.

Before he answered, Eevee took off in the direction of Galentai. He stopped right in front of Azora and just stared at it. I started to walk over to get Eevee, but Galentai held up his arm to stop me.

"What?"

He didn't answer. Instead, Galentai continued walking, with Azora following close behind. Eevee stayed where he was and watched them go. I walked up and picked him up and we both watched them disappear.

_What was that about?_  I asked him.

Eevee didn't say anything. He just continued to watch them walk away until they were swallowed by the shadows of the forest.  _She said that I wasn't ready._

_Ready? I asked. Ready for what?_

_I don't know, I never said anything. She just said, 'You're not ready for what lies ahead.'_

_Professor Oak said something similar back at the Lab._

Daniel and Nick walked up to us and Nick asked, "What was that about?"

"I don't know," I answered. "But, I have a feeling this won't be the last time we see them." And I looked back in the direction Ethius had walked off in. "Either of them."


	2. A Beast by Any Other Name

We continued on our path to Vermilion City, our next destination. Eevee remained in my arms, his head resting on his paws. No one said a word as we walked, but I could tell we were all thinking the same thing: "What was that about?"

 _What exactly did Azora say?_  I asked Eevee after a few minutes of walking.

 _She said that I wasn't ready for what was ahead of me. That the world is an unforgiving place and that I wouldn't survive,_  he said, his ears drooping lower.

I was silent for a minute as I thought of what that could have meant. That I said,  _You know what? For now, we don't worry about it. Okay? We'll just focus on what's right in front of us._

He picked his head up, his ears standing up normally again.  _Right!_

 

As we neared the city, I tried to recall what I knew about the city. Viridian was a town of a decent size, large enough to have its own Pokémon Center and Poké Mart, not to mention its own Gym, but still small enough to only have a few townhouses.

When we finally arrived, we were surprised to see a group gathered in the town square next to the Pokémon Center. As we approached, I noticed a stage was constructed on the far side of the crowd with a handful of people standing on top of it. Banners rested on either side of the stage, the design on which looked like two columns of mist mixing together into the shape of a C.

I took a sharp intake of breath.  _It's Team Chimera!_  I thought.

Eevee looked up at me from my arms, cocking his head to one side.  _Who?_

We stopped near the back of the crowd, the voices from the stage barely audible over the murmurs from the crowd. From behind me I heard Nick ask, "So, what do you guys think they're talking about?" I tried to stand on my tiptoes to see over the crowd. Eevee, meanwhile, looked around the crowd from my arms, his ears bouncing up and down as he picked through the sounds he heard.

That's when I heard a voice to my right say, "Just a bunch of oddball lab rats talking about garbage."

I turned to see who had spoken. It was a man, about two heads taller than me, wearing a three-piece tailored suit, red tie, and neatly cut black hair done to one side. He held out his hand toward me, offering to shake mine. "Hello, children. My name is Giovanni, I am the CEO of Rocket Incorporated, as well as a Gym Leader."

Daniel and Nick walked over to stand next to where I was. Daniel looked at the man, dumbfounded.

"Gym Leader?" Nick inquired, tilting his head.

"Lab rats?" I asked. "Garbage?"

Nick's voice spoke up again before I could get a response, "Wait, aren't you the eighth Gym Leader in the Indigo League?"

"Why, yes I am," Giovanni claimed proudly. "As a matter of fact, my Gym is right over there." We all followed his gaze to a large building a few blocks away.

"So, what are they  _actually_  talking about?" Nick inquired again.

"Something about creating a 'new generation of Pokémon.' I don't quite understand it."

I was about to explain when whoever was on the stage threw a Poké Ball, releasing a Pokémon out of the capsule and drawing the attention of everyone present. The Pokémon looked like a dog with black fur, tufts of blue fur grew around its jaw, down its neck, and onto its chest. Bands that looked like metal rings wrapped around its forelegs and a skull rested on its head.

"This is what we mean!" the man that had thrown the Poké Ball shouted. He was a middle-aged man, fairly tall, brown hair sat on his head with streaks of gray from age striping the sides of his head. He also wore a suit, but not quite as formal as Giovanni's. "This is a fusion of a Shinx and a Houndoom."

"Why would you fuse Pokémon together?!" someone in the crowd hollered.

"To create a new generation of Pokémon!" the man announced, spreading his arms.

"Why would we need a new generation?" another voice called.

The face of the man on stage became deadly serious. "For the protection of our civilization," he said grimly. "Just last week a coastal village in Hoenn was leveled by a feral Typhlosion. Three days ago, in Sinnoh, a small pack of Tyranitar wiped a mountain settlement off the map." The crowd was silent. The man took this as his opportunity to drive his point home. "And who defended the people against these wild Pokémon?" He stopped and turned away, probably for dramatic effect. "I'm sure the local Pokémon tried to protect the residents. However, they were obviously not strong enough." He turned back toward the crowd. "And that is why we need this new generation. Each Fusion has the combined power of the Pokémon it is fused from." He smiled. "With these Fusions, we will be able to prevent these disasters and bring a new era of safety and peace to all the Regions!"

"So, you're saying that you're taking two Pokémon and just... putting them together?" a man yelled from near the front, sounding disgusted.

The man seemed to shudder. "Hardly!" he said, with an almost indignant manner. "The closest thing that we possess to that is what we call a 'true fusion.' This, however," he motioned to the Shinx-Houndoom-thing, "is what we call a 'crossbreed' or a 'natural fusion.' This pup is the result of breeding a Houndoom male and a Luxray female."

I heard a few "Oohs" and "Ahhs" from the crowd. The man who had shouted the previous question must not have been convinced because the man on the stage shifted nervously. "An example of what you're thinking of...," the man trailed off and an assistant in a lab coat covered in light armor walked up to him with a tray, upon which sat a Poké Ball, "is right here!" He then threw this next Poké Ball into the air. Out came a large bear creature which stood at least 8 feet tall, its fur was mainly brown with a golden ring apparent upon its chest while a large patch of black fur curled off its shoulders and back taking the shape of a cape. It looked around at the crowd, its muzzle curling. I heard a crackling sound and realized that what I thought was fur around its mouth was actually ice. It raised its large clawed arms, each claw as thick around as my forearm. The crowd was silent in horror. The man raised his hand in an attempt to calm the crowd. "This, ladies and gentlemen, humans and Pokémon, is a fusion by any meaning of the word. The process of this Fusion involves DNA from multiple Pokémon being fused into an empty embryo and growing that embryo in a specialized container. This specific Fusion is made up of an Ursaring, a Pangoro, and a Beartic."

That must have given the man what he was looking for because he replied with nothing. Instead, he applauded, which started everyone else applauding, the three of us and Giovanni included.

The man on stage smiled, "Thank you, thank you. If you'd like to know more about us and our organization, we will be around to answer any questions you may have. If you wish to assist us with our project you can donate..." I stopped listening after that, the shuffling of the crowd around us and their murmuring drowning out whatever the man was saying.

The street show ended shortly after the crowd dispersed. Daniel approached me and said that he was curious about something, so I followed him to the stage. Eevee jumped down from my arms and walked along beside me, Daniel's Beldum floating close by.

As we approached, the man who had been talking set the two Poké Balls he had used in his demonstration into a briefcase. He handed the case off to one of his companions and turned around to greet us. "Well, hello there. What can I do for you two?"

"Ladon?!"

"Well, I'll be a Bewear's uncle." I ran to the man, embracing him in a hug. "Sam, it's been too long. How have you been? Where are your parents?"

I shrugged, the joy drowning out of my face. "There was a fire... No one saw either of them escape."

"Oh, I'm sorry." He rested a hand on my shoulder and crouched down to be level with me. "I'm sure they're fine." He then stood back up, straightening his clothes and clearing his throat. "So..."

"I have a question," Daniel spoke, interrupting what would have been an even more awkward conversation. "Is it true that your research focuses on the fusing of Pokémon DNA?"

"It is." Apparent by his new expression, he and I were both glad for the albeit temporary distraction. "Although, some get our two processes confused. My team's focus is on the adaptations that Pokémon go through in nature. That being said, our research only focuses on crossbreeds, fusions that can happen through breeding, and environmental adaptations, changes that a Pokémon goes through to better survive in whatever habitat it lives in."

"You said 'your team,' what did you mean by that?" I asked, crossing my arms in front of myself.

"Well, Team Chimera, our organization, has two main... factions, for lack of a better term, that focus on two different processes of Fusions. The first being my team's area of expertise, our research being focused on the natural fusions." He leaned over and tapped my shoulder. "Your dad lead the effort in that department. The second group, however, their research is mostly on the artificial fusions, ones that are bred through an embryo and a controlled environment."

"Is there anything else you can tell us about your research?" Daniel asked.

"Well, there are five total classifications that we categorize our Fusions into: 'Subspecies' and 'Crossbreeds' are my team's primary focus."

"The natural fusions," I stated.

"Correct. The other classifications are 'Archon' and 'Exalt.' An Archon fusion is one that is comprised of the DNA of at least one Mega-Evolved Pokémon. An Exalt fusion is comprised of the DNA of at least one mythical Pokémon. Albeit, this category isn't used as often as the others since encountering a legendary Pokémon is close to never, if at all."

"And the fifth category is for...?" Daniel asked, trailing off.

"It's a fallback category." When I saw Daniel's confused expression, I added, "They use it when a fusion doesn't exactly fit into any of the others."

"Right again."

"What about this 'new generation' that I heard about?" Daniel inquired.

The man hesitated, rubbing his face and neck. "We hope that, by introducing Fusions into local habitats, future generations will be stronger and-"

One of the other members of the man's party approached and whispered something into his ear.

"You're right." He turned back toward us, saying, "It appears that it is time for us to depart. I hope that I could answer your questions, boys."

"Yes, sir," we both said simultaneously.

As the man was leaving, I heard footsteps from behind me. I turned around to see Nick and his Aron approaching. "So, what was that about?"

I turned to Daniel, thinking he would answer. Instead, Daniel was staring off into space, occasionally stealing a glance at his Beldum. I sighed and replied, "Which would you rather hear first, the boring stuff or the informative stuff?"

"The boring stuff. I don't like to end on a bad note."

"Okay. So, they're called Team Chimera, they specialize in the fusion of Pokémon, and the man who was speaking is named Ladon."

Nick not-so-discreetly rolled his eyes. "Alright, what's the informative bit?"

"Okay, so they have multiple classifications for their Fusions. And, their mission is to bring about a new generation of Pokémon, one that's supposed to be stronger and better than the last."

_Careful, if you get any more excited, you'll jump right out of your shoes._

_I can't help it,_  I exclaimed.  _Ever since I was a little kid, I was always fascinated by what my parents would talk about when they came home from their work._

_Well, it's showing._

 

The street show that Team Chimera had put on ended up taking most of the afternoon. The sun had started setting and was now starting to descend behind the horizon, so we headed to the Pokémon Center to heal up our Pokémon before setting out again. As we entered, I noticed Ladon standing in front of the counter. As we approached, he turned around and greeted us. "Why, hello again."

"Well, hello again," I said, waving my hand in an arc. "What brings you to our local Pokémon Center?"

After a pause, he returned my wave and replied, "Just a routine check of the Pokémon." He turned back toward the counter, Nurse Joy hadn't returned with his Pokémon yet it seemed. "I see you're still using your ALolan habits"

I shrugged my shoulders before replying. "Old habits die hard, I guess."

"Well, I suppose you have a point there."

Nurse Joy returned with two Poké Balls resting on a tray and held them out to Ladon. He accepted them and made his way to the door. "Well, I suppose I'll see you three around."

"Will we see any of your Fusions around Kanto?" I asked.

"Hopefully," he said, almost as a wish. "But, I don't see it happening any time soon." And with that, he left through the door, leaving us to stare at the sliding glass.

"When were you going to tell us you were from Alola?" Nick whispered in my ear.

I waved him away. "It's not exactly a topic that easily comes up in casual conversation. That and you never asked."

"Before this gets out of hand," Daniel interrupted, stepping in between us, "what's the plan for the evening? I don't know about you two, but I'd like to find a room before it gets too late."

"Sounds like a plan," I said. "We can head out for Pewter City in the morning."

 

The three of us had decided to stay in one room, so we settled on a room that had two bunk beds. Daniel and I slept on one set of bunks while Nick and his Pokémon slept on the other set. Daniel insisted that his Beldum bunk with him. Eevee insisted on bunking with me, while Squirtle, the starter I had received from Professor Oak, decided to bunk with Nick's Charmander and Aron, all of us agreeing that it'd be better for the Pokémon to sleep outside of their Poké Balls.

Later that night, I found myself tossing and turning. Unable to go back to sleep, I reached into my bag and pulled out one of the books I had received at Professor Oak's Lab. I propped the pillows behind my head and also grabbed my Pokédex out of my bag. I turned on the screen and changed the setting low enough that the light wouldn't wake anyone up.

My page turning must have been noisy because from across the room I hear, "What are you still doing up?" from a half-awake Nick.

"Couldn't sleep," I told him, whispering as to not wake Daniel or the Pokémon.

"Learn anything new?" he asked, uninterested but polite.

"Of course," I replied.

 _Why are you being snappy?_  Eevee asked mid-yawn.

_He was frustrated earlier when he asked about Team Chimera._

_'Frustrated' isn't the right word,_  he said, rolling over onto his back,  _I'd say 'annoyed' would be more accurate. Besides, you do tend to ramble._

_I do not. Do I?_

_Just a little. And only when you let your excitement show._

I shook my head and returned to my reading. The notes and field drawings doing little to distract me from the Fusions I had seen earlier.  
  
  


The next morning as I was leaving the Poké Mart, the morning air bit at my ears and face. I turned up the collar of my jacket and zipped it up. As I looked in the small bag in my hand to make sure that I had everything, I saw Eevee yawning and stretching out of the corner of my eye.

 _Why did we have to get up so early?_  He asked through his yawning.

"You didn't have to come with," I reminded him. "You could've stayed and slept in with the others."

_But, I didn't want to. Besides, where's Squirtle?_

_Letting Charmander use his shell as a pillow._  We made our way back through the town toward the Pokémon Center, the far-spaced street lights lighting up small pools of the walkway, the sunrise illuminating the rest of the darkness, its pinks and oranges slowly overtaking the blues and blacks of the previous night.

We entered the Pokémon Center, the only sound in the room coming from the sliding door. Not a soul was in the waiting room, most of the lights were off with the exception of a small neon "Exit" sign right above the door, and the monitor behind the counter. Light tapping breaking the silence as we ascended the stairs breaking the silence alluded to our presence.

When I entered the room we had rested in, I found Daniel sitting on the bottom bunk tying his shoes, his bag already on his back and his Beldum spectating silently. Nick's Charmander and Aron were still asleep. And from the darkness inside Squirtle's shell, I could see his dark crimson eyes blink away his drowsiness.

"What were you doing up so early?" Daniel asked, walking over to where I stood by the door.

I held out the bag in my hand, showing him the contents. From inside, he pulled out a small pouch. Inside was a bottle with an orange liquid inside, having a lid on it that allowed for the liquid inside to be sprayed.

"It's an Antidote," I explained. "We're going to need them if we're heading to Pewter City today."

As I was explaining my trip, Nick walked out of the washroom, his hair still slightly damp. "What's the plan for today?" he asked as he finished drying his hair.

"Daniel and I were just talking about that. If we leave Viridian soon, we should make it to Pewter City around noon. And then challenge our first Gym soon afterward."

He sat down on the bunk next to his Pokémon, pulling his shoes closer and waking them all up. "What's the catch?"

"Catch? Well, I mean, we'll have to travel through the Viridian Forest which has lots of Caterpie and Weedle, but that shouldn't be a concern for Gasari and Atlas. Them being Steel-types and all."

"Because Steel-types are immune to Poison-type attacks, right? From the Weedle and Kakuna."

"Right. But, we don't need to worry too much."

"And why's that?" Nick inquired.

"Because Samuel went out and bought Antidotes for Charmander, Squirtle and Eevee," Daniel answered.

"So that's why you were out so early," Nick stated, more as an observation than as a question.

"Right. I already gave Daniel some Antidotes." I walked over and handed him the other bag. "There's also some Poké Balls in the bags just in case you guys find some Pokémon to catch."

"So, what are we waiting for? Let's get going!"

The Pokémon all joined in on his cheering and followed him as he ran out of the room. Daniel and I exchanged looks, shaking our heads as we followed him out of the room.

"What are we going to do with him?" I asked, not expecting a response.

"Keep him from trying to hurt himself."

"Or us in the process," I added.

 

By the time the three of us had caught up with Nick and the rest of the Pokémon, they were waiting for us at the city limits just outside the Forest. "What took you so long?" Nick joked.

"We were waiting for you to come back and tell us how your Gym battle went," I shot back.

"Come on, you know I'd never leave without you guys, right?"

"Well, seeing as you left with my Squirtle and Eevee right behind you, I'm not so sure anymore."

"Well, whatever. Let's go!"

"Are you going to wait for us this time?" Daniel inquired.

Nick froze in his tracks. "Of... course..."

"Mmhmm, sure you were," I quipped.

As we entered the Forest, we followed the path as best we could. After a couple of minutes of walking, the path forked in two directions. After a short debate, we chose the left path, only to reach a dead end.

"Are we sure we went the right way?" I asked.

"In here, I'm not sure about anything," Nick said.

As I looked around our surroundings, I let my feet wander. My hand instinctively went into my bag, making sure that Squirtle's Poké Ball was still there. The next thing my hand went to was my Pokédex. As I approached one of the trees that lined the clearing we had stumbled into, I saw some Metapod resting among the branches and Caterpie crawling among the leaves. I brought out my Pokédex, holding up toward the Pokémon. After a few seconds, the screen lit up, revealing a picture of a Caterpie and then a Metapod. As they appeared, I glossed over the information.

 _Both are pure Bug-types,_  I thought to myself.

_"Pure" Bug-type?_

_They don't have a secondary type._  As I was looking around, I spotted a Weedle. I held up my Pokédex, and a picture of a Weedle appeared on the screen. I knelt down to show Eevee.  _This is what I mean._

_Weedle is also a Bug-type. But, it also has a second typing._

_Right, that's why I used the term "pure" Bug-type._

_Huh..._

"Hey!" I turned around to see Nick waving me over. "You ready to go?"

"Yep!" I tucked my Pokédex back in my bag and walked over to rejoin with the others.

"Are we heading down the  _right_  path this time?"

"No, we're going down the only path we haven't tried yet."

"'Yes,'" Daniel interjected. "The word you're looking for is 'yes.'"

This path proved to be more of a challenge than the last. The path twisted and turned in on itself and occasionally crossed itself, sending us in circles. We followed the path up and down hills and into another dead end. This time, we were swarmed by Weedle and Caterpie. Nick and I agreed, he would fight off the Weedle while I took care of the Caterpie. We each sent out both of our Pokémon, Nick with his Charmander and Aron, and myself with Eevee and Squirtle. Daniel only had his Beldum fight if there was a Pokémon that got too close.

Once the Pokémon were too tired to fight anymore, they retreated back into the bushes and trees, something we had no problem with. After our Pokémon were healed and battle ready, we left. We continued down the path the best we could and when the path split again, Daniel sent his Beldum to scout one path while Nick's Aron scouted the other. If one of them encountered the dead end, they returned and we followed the other path.

We followed the path like this for about an hour or so until we realized that the ground had levelled out and the path was slowly beginning to change. The overgrown path we were accustomed to was becoming a worn down dirt path, which then became a gravel path leading through a wide clearing. As we followed the gravel path, the dense forest gave way to a suburban neighborhood. And at the end of the path, just before the gravelled dirt path gave way to cobbled streets, a sign stood reading, "Now entering Pewter City."

"We made it!" exclaimed Nick. "Our first Gym battle and the first step on our journey!"

"Well, technically, the first step was getting our starters," I corrected.

"Yeah, well, whatever. What are we waiting for? Let's go!"


End file.
